Growing fennel for its flowers, seeds and potent pollen - latimes Growing fennel for its flowers, seeds and potent pollen August 13, 2013 |By Jeff Spurrier Unlike many plants considered invasive, fennel does everything it can to ingratiate itself into the garden. Its leaves are attractive -- feathery and delicate -- and the umbrella-shaped blooms of bright yellow flowers that come in summer serve as miniature landing pads for pollinators. Every part of fennel, root to leaf to pollen to fruit, is infused with the varying levels of its iconic licorice flavor. Unlike other aromatic crops -- dill, cumin, anise, caraway -- only fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) has become a transplanted Californian with such casual abandon. The South Mediterranean native was probably brought here by Italian immigrants and thrives throughout the state in the wild, on neglected land, anywhere there’s reliable moisture. Or not. Jamie Jamison used to collect fennel flowers for their yellow hue, one of the natural dyes she makes. The flowers came from a healthy plant growing in a Smart & Final parking lot.

She brought home another plant that spouted there randomly and now has a towering stand in her backyard. A perennial if you let it, fennel spreads wildly, unabashedly earning its reputation as invasive. “It’s a noxious weed, but it’s all usable,” says Gary Woolley, the general manager of Pollen Ranch , suppliers of fennel pollen, a gourmet flavoring with a powerful taste. A decade ago, a half-ounce of imported fennel pollen could run $40, four times what homegrown now sells for. Based near Visalia, Pollen Ranch harvests the flower tops from wild fennel in Northern California in June and July, going back for the mature black seeds in October. Not only are they a different color than store-bought fennel seed, which mostly comes from Egypt, but the taste is far more intense. A tiny amount of fennel pollen adds surprisingly sweet bright flashes of licorice to stews, sauces, soups and meat rubs. The rest of the plant is equally tasty. The bulbs can be eaten raw, broiled or pickled. The seeds are commonly used as an after-dinner digestive aid in Indian cuisine.

The dead stalks are harvested for smoking, soaked like wood chips and added to a fire to impart an distinct anise-like note to fish or meat. Fennel ranks high in Italian myth and history, as food and as medicine. When Prometheus stole fire from the gods to give to man, he held the coal in fennel. Roman soldiers chewed it for courage and to suppress appetites. In the Middle Ages, people hung it in homes for good luck and protection from the evil eye. Now is the time to harvest pollen from a flowering plant, ideally in the afternoon. Leave cut flowers in the sun for a day, then put them in a paper bag until fully dry. Shake or rub off the pollen and collect it along with the dried flowers. Discard any stems. You can find fennel at most nurseries in either seed or seedling form. The Florence varieties (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum) are grown in cool season for the fat bulbs. Because of its long taproot, the plant does not do well in containers, and don’t plant fennel near bush beans, peppers or tomatoes.

ALSO: Bronze Fennel Mixes with Flower Gardens Bronze Fennel Mixes with Flower Gardens April 11, 2012 By Chris Eirschele Purple Foliage on Bronze Fennel is an Economical Way to Bring Feathery Drama to a Flower Garden - Photo Credit Chris Eirschele Bronze fennel has become popular far beyond the licorice flavor the herb brings to dishes cooked in the kitchen. It is found in many flower garden styles and potted combinations. Spending $2 or $3 for a pot of herbs has developed into an inexpensive strategy for adding variety to a mixed plant combination. Gardeners use small annual herbs to fill in bare spots in the garden or thrill a singular local with one large example, building a combination around. Come to be known as bronze fennel, Foeniculum vulare, in the picture-keys of garden magazines, the tender perennial is no shrinking herb when edged against more traditional ornamental plants, whether planted in a landscape bed or potted container garden.

Mixed Plant Combinations Bedded or Potted Yellow Flowers Attract Pollinators on Fennel Herbs Used as a Larval Plant by Butterflies - Photo Credit Chris Eirschele Beyond cooking, gardeners have learned the fragrant Mediterranean native is able to hold its own against summer ornamental plants in a flower garden. The large flat yellow blooms, feathery foliage and two-foot tall habit will contribute to the making of a pretty garden. Whether grown with decorative or sweet pepper plants, the upright structure, full leaves and colorful fruit produced by Capsicum contrast well with plants having light wispy leaves. With the common curly parsley thrown in, all together they easily make an attractive and useful edible garden. The foliage color of the fennel herb takes on the hue of bronzy, copper, bluish-gray silver or pale green, depending on one’s perspective and the light showing through. Annual flowers, like million bells of mixed colors- for example Calibrachoa® Dreamsicle, or a Lantana whose clusters are composed of yellows and pinks- have successfully been mixed with a specimen of fennel in many planters.

Bronze fennel belongs in a garden meant to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies or for harvesting the flowers or foliage to make bouquets. But remember, it is the caterpillar as from swallowtail butterflies, which will use it as a larval plant for food. Whatever the purpose of the garden, the fennel plant requires full sun to thrive and produces blooms eventually composed for many seeds. Seed heads should be removed as they fade but before completely dry to save for growing the next year or to keep from scattering weed-seeds where they are not wanted. Tall Structure of Bronze Fennel is Decorative and Useful in Food or Flower Gardens - Photo Credit Chris Eirschele Types of Fennel Herbs There are a variety of fennel plants to grow. Depending on the garden’s climate, fennel will be treated as an annual or hardy perennial. The herb is measured in feet rather than inches and so requires a larger space in the garden. Fennel plants grown for its decorative appearance or to feed wildlife or to harvest the bulb for cooking requires planting the better type for that purpose.

Foeniculum ‘Purpureum’ grows in hardiness zones 4 – 9 with a deep purplish-bronze color up to 3’-5’ tall. Fennel with lacier foliage does not form a large bulb; however, it is cut for garnish or salads. Foeniculum vulare var. azonicum is called Florence fennel and develops a bulb-like base from overlapping leaves. The stalks taste like celery but with a mild licorice flavor and requiring a consistent watering schedule to thrive. The flowers will remind herb growers of dill. Foeniculum Vulgare Thrives Where Planted Foeniculum Vulgare has Attractive Ornamental Form to Dress-up any Garden Style - Photo Credit Chris Eirschele Foeniculum vulgare is an herb plant grown in vegetable gardens for the licorice or anise taste it brings to kitchen dishes. The bronze fennel has found favor with ornamental gardeners, who like the look of the plant against flowers, providing food for beneficial insects and recognizing how easy it is to grow. About Chris Eirschele Chris Eirschele has written 8 posts in this blog.

Chris writes on plants grown, gardens explored and pathways traveled. She has a horticultural background and was an university extension Master Gardener in Wisconsin. Her muse is now found in the desert southwest and at her bloggy place called Stay Gardening. To see a collection of her work in one place, . Fennel Home & Herbal Remedies: Fennel Remedies Health Benefits | Natural Remedies.org Fennel What is Fennel? Fennel, scientific name foeniculum vulgare, is a plant found growing in many gardens in the United States due to its usefulness in the culinary arts as well as its medicinal properties. The plant species is indigenous to the Mediterranean shores but seems to grow wild in numerous areas of the world now. Most commonly it can be found on river banks and near the sea coast. The Romans and Greeks were extensive users of fennel. As a result, they can also be found in many places where these groups of people historically made their homes. Fennel is an extremely useful plant for cooking and making home-grown medicines as well as being extremely aromatic and smelling quite sweet.

History of Fennel This herb has quite a lively history within Roman and Greek mythology and has been used throughout the ages for a large variety of purposes by these groups of people. The Ancient Greek people called the fennel plant “marathon”. Most people are familiar with the story of how Prometheus stole fire from the Gods and gave it as a gift to mankind. According to Greek mythology, it was the stalk of a fennel plant that he used to steal the fire from the Gods! A giant fennel plant was said to have spawned the Greek god Dionysus’ Bacchanalian wands and his followers. Such a colorful history befits this small herb; it would seem that it has had as many uses throughout mythology as it still does today! Appearance of Fennel Herb Fennel is a herb that is remarkably resilient. It is perennial, meaning that it has a life-cycle which lasts two years or longer and will generally be hardy enough to survive throughout the spring and summer, die in winter, and then revive itself again when the growing season returns.

However, those growing fennel, in their gardens, should note that, in climates outside of its normal zone, the plant will probably need more care and have a shorter life span. The plant grows freely throughout the U.S. and the warmer areas of Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia, though it is considered to be an invasive weed by some Americans and most Australians. In general, fennel plants can be up to 2.5 meters tall and have hollow stems. The plant produces exceptionally thin leaves that are 35-40 cm in length. Fennel plants produce yellow flowers that are remarkably small in size and grow together in groups of 20-50 flowers to create flower heads. The fruits of a fennel plant are grooved in texture and decidedly small; in fact, they are usually mistaken for seeds and are commonly referred to as seeds in many recipes. Variations of Fennel There are three main variations of fennel plants. The first is the Florence fennel. Florence fennel plants were cultivated in such a way that they would have larger leaf bases, which would give way to a bulb.

A common fennel plant is intensely aromatic and smells sweet, and this quality is enhanced in the Florence fennel. Cooking is the main purpose for which the Florence fennel was cultivated as the bulbs are used as vegetables. Many recipes call for cooked Florence fennel bulbs. Sometimes, they are even chopped up and used raw for dishes, such as Mediterranean salads or as seasoning in soups and sauces. Often Florence fennel bulbs are mistaken for a close cousin, anise, as they have a remarkably similar flavor and appearance. Many readers will be familiar with the alcoholic beverage called Absinthe. Florence fennel was one of three main ingredients in this alcoholic beverage which started out as a Swiss medicine and quickly gained popularity as a fun alcoholic drink within France. Today, Florence fennel is mostly used in cooking Mediterranean and Italian dishes. It is crunchy and slightly sweet. In addition to this, Florence fennel contains much fiber. When it is eaten with other foods that produce indigestion, it can help soften the effects. Florence fennel contains large amounts of phytonutrients and antioxidants including rutin, quercitin, and anethole.

In addition to this, the plant contains much Vitamin C, an extraordinarily powerful vitamin that is essential to proper immune system function. A bronze-leaved version of the fennel plant is available. It looks much the same as a normal fennel plant would but has bronze leaves that are considered to be quite attractive in gardens. Many gardeners in the UK use bronze-leaved fennel for decoration within their home gardens. The giant fennel plant discussed above in the mythology section is the third and final variation of fennel. It is much larger than a regular fennel plant and is part of another species entirely (the Ferula species) of which there are 170 members. Plants within the ferula species are commonly used for the same purposes as the foeniculum (normal fennel) plants are. They produce a gooey resin that is used for cooking and medicinal purposes. The spice asafoetida or hing is made from a ferula species plant. Culinary Uses & Health Effects Fennel is a tremendously popular culinary herb. The reason for this is that nearly every part of the plant can be used for some culinary purpose. It has a truly distinct and unique herbal taste.

The leaves of the fennel plant can be used to brew teas that taste delicious and are said to help suppress the appetite. There is a long-standing tradition thought to be put in place by the Romans and Greeks. The tradition to sip one cup of fennel tea prior to eating dinner, in order to be sure that overeating would not be a problem. Many users of fennel tea claim that this actually works quite well and can be a vital aid in weight loss and appetite control. The flowers of the fennel plant carry the unique flavor of the plant and can be used for a variety of recipes. Most often, they are sprinkled into salads, soups, or sauces to give them a unique flavor. Fennel stalks are hollow and crisp and can be eaten just like celery sticks or chopped up to be used as flavoring for cooked foods. In all reality, the uses of the fennel plant are only limited to the chef’s culinary imagination. Medicinal Uses & Health Effects Fennel has a solid place in many medicinal gardens throughout the world because the plant has such a wide variety of uses. Fennel plants contain large amounts of anethole, which is an aromatic natural compound found in many essential oils.

Spain is the top producer of fennel grown for harvesting anethole for use in essential oils, but in all reality fennel is a particularly common plant that can be bought from many places and in many forms. Fennel herb is carminative by nature, which simply means that it works to prevent the creation of gases. For this reason, it is a well-respected digestive health remedy used in many concoctions created to help those with regular intestinal ailments. It is a common ingredient in gripe water, which is given to infants to help ease problems with flatulence. Fennel tea is known to suppress appetite. It also acts as an intestinal relaxant, to ease bloating in adults. Laxatives commonly have fennel in them to help soften the side-effects of the purging. Fennel oil is used in the making of eye washes due to its cleansing and soothing properties. The people of India believe that fennel contains the ability to improve eyesight materially and often ingest raw or slightly sweetened fennel seeds to gain this benefit.

The Ancient Romans held fennel in high regard as a “herb of sight” as well, though fennel has not been proven to work for this specific purpose when ingested in such ways as the Indians ingest it. Studies done on animals with glaucoma (a disease where damage is done to the optic nerve of the eye) have shown that fennel can help treat this disease. It has been proven that it can help prevent clouded eyesight when used in the eye-wash form. Pregnant Women and New Mothers Many people believe and will attest to it as a fact that fennel is useful to pregnant women and new mothers. Fennel does contain phytoestrogens. But, it has never been scientifically proven that it helps in any way. Nonetheless, there are several anecdotes throughout history that state it is highly effective in increasing the amount of milk supplied by mothers who nurse their children. Other stories say that fennel can be given to breastfeeding mothers. This is done to help ease breast swelling, commonly associated with nursing and breast-feeding. Fennel fruits/seeds have an extremely sweet taste and are commonly used as breath fresheners.

The seeds can be eaten as part of a meal or used to create a fennel tea, which is then gargled. It helps freshen the breath. Instructions for making fennel tea are given below. Other Uses There are many other stories throughout history and even still today of fennel being used for a myriad of things. None of these things has been scientifically proven. Many myths state that fennel can be used by women who are menopausal to relieve their symptoms. Fennel is said to be useful for quieting hiccups and soothing coughs as well as fighting colic in babies. Less-grounded claims say that it can even be used for the breaking up of kidney stones or reversal of liver damage caused by alcohol. More medicinal effects include the prevention of nausea or gout as well as being helpful as a diuretic to increase the occurrence of urination. Fennel is often used in drugs that help with the treatment of hypertension (or high blood pressure) and is said to be able to be used to expel worms from the human digestive tract. Some even claim that when used with conventional treatments, fennel can be ingested and is effective in helping to treat prostate and colon cancers.

The reason for this is that the fiber in fennel helps absorb carcinogenic toxins in the colon. It is highly recommended that a doctor be consulted in advance, about the use of fennel in the treatment these cancers. Those who advocate the use of fennel around the home say that fleas find fennel to be quite disgusting by nature and will not live in places where fennel does. Thus, it can be sprinkled around pet beds and homes where pets reside to help prevent fleas from staking a foothold within the house. Fennel is a popular herb for gardeners who grow herbs for food preparation and medicinal purposes, but is also popular with those who grow butterfly gardens. The herb is said to be like a “siren’s call” to the beautiful swallowtail butterfly and attracts colorful butterflies of all sorts with is a sweet smell and bright yellow color. Side Effects of Fennel Products When used as a culinary enhancement product, fennel leaves, stalks, and seeds have no side effects. There are no document cases of fennel interacting with other drugs to enhance or suppress their effects. The extract essential oil should not be used by pregnant women as it has in some cases induced seizures and hallucinations.

Fennel taken in excessive amounts can be disruptive to the body’s nervous system. If home medicines are to be made, it would be wise to consult with a physician or health practitioner before administering any treatments. Homemade Fennel Products It is relatively easy to create entirely home made fennel products. Fennel can be grown in a personal garden or bought from a rather large number of places (this will be discussed in-depth later). It does not matter where the fennel comes from as long as it is fresh. Many of the medicinal uses of fennel such as eye washing call for fennel water. In this case, essential oil with fennel extracts will be needed. Simply mix one pint of water with eight drops of fennel oil to create fennel water. Fennel water can be ingested (up to 8 tsp. per day) or used for things such as flea-guarding homes. Fennel oil itself can be mixed in with other massage oils or used on its own and is said to produce a warming sensation and a delightful aroma to add to the soothing properties of massages. Fennel Tea Fennel tea is the easiest of the fennel products to make at home.

The seeds or the actual leaves of the plant can be used to make the tea which suppresses appetite and soothes coughs. It has even been said that it can help clear up mucus in the lungs. If using fresh leaves, the necessary amount is 3 tablespoons of fennel per one cup of water. For seeds, only half of this amount is needed, so 1 1/2 tablespoons of fennel seeds per one cup of water. This will make a strong infusion of fennel tea; individuals should feel free to experiment with adding more or less fennel to create tea to their liking. To make the tea, individuals should first boil the water, separately. Then they should put the herbs or crushed seeds at the bottom of a pot and pour the boiling water over them. The mixture should then be covered and allowed to soak for five minutes, though this time is not exact and it could take more or less time to infuse the water with the right strength for individual purposes. When satisfied with the strength of the tea, simply use a strainer to drain the herbs out of tea and enjoy!

In addition to these products, it is possible to make a paste by using a mallet to pound down fennel stems and/or leaves. This paste can then be either shaped into home made caplets which can be reserved for later use or used in paste form. By creating pastes and caplets in this way, individuals can choose the concentration of fennel in their products. However, they should clearly adhere to the earlier warnings that taking too much fennel can result in the nervous system disruptions and consult a doctor before making medicines from home. Other Fennel Products & Forms Many people lead busy lives and do not have time to make their own fennel products , or they would prefer to obtain them from stores in order to minimize the risk that they will use too much or too little fennel, causing their products to either be ineffective or harmful. These people are in luck! Fennel is mass-produced in many countries such as Mexico, Morocco, Syria, and India for use in creating fennel products or for resale as a raw herb. Fennel herb products are available in a variety of forms including capsules, caplets, tea bags, seeds, and extract oils.

It can also be purchased in its raw plant form or as Florence fennel bulbs from supermarkets. Conventional grocery stores are less likely to have raw fennel in plant or bulb form, which is more easily found at organic food stores and markets as a specialty herb/food. Fennel bulbs should be free of bruises or brown spots with stalks that are firm and crisp and leaves that are fresh and not wilted. The leaves and stems can be refrigerated and will last for several days when stored like this; the bulb can last for weeks. Much like any other vegetable or herb, once the leaves begin to wilt the fennel should be thrown out. Cost Information The full line-up of fennel products (aside from culinary use fennel) can be found in many nutrition or health stores such as GNC or from online retailers including Amazon.com and smaller health shops. Fennel capsules can be purchased for about $5.50 per 100 pills that are to be taken three times daily at maximum, preferably with meals. The two most common brands of pre-made fennel tea bags are Heather’s and Alvita.

Alvita sells both caffeine-free and regular fennel tea bags which cost $3.50-$5.00 per 24 count package. Heather’s sells the teas by the bags or in canisters and charges up to $19 per canister of 45 tea bags. One pound of organic fennel seeds costs anywhere from $5-$10, and fennel essential oils go for about $8 per ounce. Fennel seed extract is more expensive at about $10 per ounce. Because fennel is a seasonal herb that is grown during the spring and summer, it is highly likely to find it cheaper during these times of the year. Those wishing to save money on fennel products can stock up on them when they are at their cheapest during the summer months and use them throughout the year. However, these individuals are cautioned to check the shelf lives of their various fennel products as some last only a few months and some will last for over a year. For example, fennel tea bags can lose some of their scent and flavor if allowed to sit on the shelf and age for a few months.

Legality of Fennel Growing & Usage Though it is considered to be a pesky weed in some places, there are currently no countries throughout the world where the growing and usage of fennel is illegal. Caution When Picking Fennel Fennel itself is a remarkably safe herb to use. However, poison hemlock looks much like fennel when growing wild in nature and is toxic when ingested. Like fennel, hemlock grows near water and can be up to 2 meters tall. It creates tiny white flowers in flower heads much like the fennel plant does except that fennel flowers are yellow. When picking fennel in the wild, be sure to test the plants to be sure that they truly are fennel. The best way to do this is to crush a few leaves and smell them. If they smell like anise or licorice, they are safe. If they smell musty or mousey, they are highly likely hemlock leaves. They should immediately be discarded. This test should not be done with bare hands as hemlock contains coniine, a toxin that the skin can absorb. Contact with the eyes and mouth should also be avoided until the individual thoroughly washes his/her hands.

A Modern Herbal | Fennel [ Top ] ---History--- Fennel was well known to the Ancients and was cultivated by the ancient Romans for its aromatic fruits and succulent, edible shoots. Pliny had much faith in its medicinal properties, according no less than twenty-two remedies to it, observing also that serpents eat it 'when they cast their old skins, and they sharpen their sight with the juice by rubbing against the plant.' A very old English rhyming Herbal, preserved at Stockholm, gives the following description of the virtue of the plant: 'Whaune the heddere (adder) is hurt in eye Ye red fenel is hys prey, And yif he mowe it fynde Wonderly he doth hys kynde. He schall it chow wonderly, And leyn it to hys eye kindlely, Ye jows shall sang and hely ye eye Yat beforn was sicke et feye.' Many of the older herbalists uphold this theory of the peculiarly strengthening effect of this herb on the sight.

Longfellow alludes to this virtue in the plant: 'Above the lower plants it towers, The Fennel with its yellow flowers; And in an earlier age than ours Was gifted with the wondrous powers Lost vision to restore.' In mediaeval times, Fennel was employed, together with St. John's Wort and other herbs, as a preventative of witchcraft and other evil influences, being hung over doors on Midsummer's Eve to warn off evil spirits. It was likewise eaten as a condiment to the salt fish so much consumed by our forefathers during Lent. Like several other umbelliferae, it is carminative. Though the Romans valued the young shoots as a vegetable, it is not certain whether it was cultivated in northern Europe at that time, but it is frequently mentioned in Anglo-Saxon cookery and medical recipes prior to the Norman Conquest. Fennel shoots, Fennel water and Fennel seed are all mentioned in an ancient record of Spanish agriculture dating A.D. 961. The diffusion of the plant in Central Europe was stimulated by Charlemagne, who enjoined its cultivation on the imperial farms.

It is mentioned in Gerard (1597), and Parkinson (Theatricum Botanicum, 1640) tells us that its culinary use was derived from Italy, for he says: 'The leaves, seede and rootes are both for meate and medicine; the Italians especially doe much delight in the use thereof, and therefore transplant and whiten it, to make it more tender to please the taste, which being sweete and somewhat hot helpeth to digest the crude qualitie of fish and other viscous meats. We use it to lay upon fish or to boyle it therewith and with divers other things, as also the seeds in bread and other things.' William Coles, in Nature's Paradise (1650) affirms that - 'both the seeds, leaves and root of ourGarden Fennel are much used in drinks and broths for those that are grown fat, to abate their unwieldiness and cause them to grow more gaunt and lank.' The ancient Greek name of the herb, Marathron, from maraino, to grow thin, probably refers to this property. It was said to convey longevity, and to give strength and courage.

There are many references to Fennel in poetry. Milton, in Paradise Lost alludes to the aroma of the plant: 'A savoury odour blown, [ Top ] ---Description--- Fennel is a beautiful plant. It has a thick, perennial root-stock, stout stems, 4 to 5 feet or more in height, erect and cylindrical, bright green and so smooth as to seem polished, much branched bearing leaves cut into the very finest of segments. The bright golden flowers, produced in large, flat terminal umbels, with from thirteen to twenty rays, are in bloom in July and August. In the kitchen garden this naturally ornamental, graceful plant, generally has its stems cut down to secure a constant crop of green leaves for flavouring and garnishing, so that the plant is seldom seen in the same perfection as in the wild state. In the original wild condition, it is variable as to size, habit, shape and colour of leaf, number of rays in the flower-head or umbel, and shape of fruit, but it has been under cultivation for so long that there are now several well-marked species. The Common Garden Fennel (F.

Capillaceum or officinale) is distinguished from its wild relative (F. vulgare) by having much stouter, taller, tubular and larger stems, and less divided leaves, but the chief distinction is that the leaf-stalks form a curved sheath around the stem, often even as far as the base of the leaf above. The flower-stalks, or pedicels, of the umbels are also sturdier, and the fruits, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, are double the size of the wild ones. [ Top ] ---Cultivation--- Fennel will thrive anywhere, and a plantation will last for years. It is easily propagated by seeds, sown early in April in ordinary soil. It likes plenty of sun and is adapted to dry and sunny situations, not needing heavily manured ground, though it will yield more on rich stiff soil. From 4 1/2 to 5 lb. of seed are sown per acre, either in drills, 15 inches apart, lightly, just covered with soil and the plants afterwards thinned to a similar distance, or sewn thinly in a bed and transplanted when large enough.

The fruit is heavy and a crop of 15 cwt. per acre is an average yield. The roots of Fennel were formerly employed in medicine, but are generally inferior in virtues to the fruit, which is now the only portion recognized by any of the Pharmacopoeias. The cessation of the supply of Fennel fruits from the Continent during the War led to its being grown more extensively here, any crop produced being almost certain to sell well. There are several varieties of Fennel fruit known in commerce - sweet or Roman Fennel, German or Saxon Fennel, wild or bitter Fennel, Galician Russian and Roumanian Fennel, Indian, Persian and Japanese. The fruits vary very much in length, breadth, taste and other characters, and are of very different commercial value. The most esteemed Fennel fruit vary from three to five lines in length, are elliptical, slightly curved, somewhat obtuse at the ends and pale greyish green in colour. Wild fruits are short, dark coloured and blunt at their ends, and have a less agreeable flavour and odour than those of sweet Fennel - they are not official.

Fennel fruits are frequently distinguished into 'shorts' and 'longs' in commerce, the latter being the most valued. The odour of Fennel seed is fragrant, its taste, warm, sweet and agreeably aromatic. It yields its virtues to hot water, but more freely to alcohol. The essential oil may be separated by distillation with water. For medicinal use, the fruits of the cultivated Fennel, especially those grown in Saxony, are alone official, as they yield the most volatile oil. Saxon fruits are greenish to yellowish-brown in colour, oblong, smaller and straighter than the French or Sweet Fennel (F. dulce). This French Fennel, known also as Roman Fennel, is distinguished by its greater length, more oblong form, yellowish-green colour and sweet taste; its anise-like odour is also stronger. It is cultivated in the neighbourhood of Nimes, in the south of France, but yields comparatively little oil, which has no value medicinally. Indian Fennel is brownish, usually smaller, straighter and not quite so rounded at the ends with a sweet anise taste.

Persian and Japanese fennel, pale greenish brown in colour, are the smallest and have a sweeter, still more strongly anise taste and an odour intermediate between that of French and Saxon. The Saxon, Galician, Roumanian and Russian varieties all yield 4 to 5 per cent of volatile oil, and these varieties are alone suitable for pharmaceutical use. In the ordinary way they furnish some of the best Fennel crops, and from their fruit a large portion of the oil of commerce is derived. For family use, 1/2 oz. of seed will produce an ample supply of plants and for several years, either from the established roots, or by re-seeding. Unless seed is needed for household or sowing purposes, the flower stems should be cut as soon as they appear. [ Top ] ----Adulteration--- Commercial Fennel varies greatly in quality, this being either due to lack of care in harvesting, or deliberate adulteration. It may contain so much sand, dirt, stem tissues, weed seeds or other material, that it amounts to adulteration and is unfit for medicinal use, or it may have had some of its oil removed by distillation.

Fruits exhausted by water or steam are darker, contain less oil and sink at once in water, but those exhausted by alcohol still retain 1 to 2 per cent, and are but little altered in appearance, they acquire, however, a peculiar fusel oil odour. Exhausted, or otherwise inferior fennel is occasionally improved in appearance by the use of a factitious colouring, but old exhausted fruits that have been re-coloured may be detected by rubbing the fruit between the hands, when the colour will come off. ---Constituents--- As found in commerce, oil Fennel is not uniform. The best varieties of Fennel yield from 4 to 5 per cent of volatile oil (sp. gr. 0.960 to 0.930), the principal constituents of which are Anethol (50 to 60 per cent) and Fenchone (18 to 22 per cent). Anethol is also the chief constituent of Anise oil. Fenchone is a colourless liquid possessing a pungent, camphoraceous odour and taste, and when present gives the disagreeable bitter taste to many of the commercial oils.

It probably contributes materially to the medicinal properties of the oil, hence only such varieties of Fennel as contain a good proportion of fenchone are suitable for medicinal use. There are also present in oil of Fennel, d-pinene, phellandrine, anisic acid and anisic aldehyde. Schimmel mentions limonene as also at times present as a constituent. There is reason to believe that much of the commercial oil is adulterated with oil from which the anethol or crystalline constituent has been separated. Good oil will contain as much as 60 per cent. Saxon Fennel yields 4.7 per cent of volatile oil, containing 22 per cent of fenchone. Russian, Galician and Roumanian, which closely resembles one another, yield 4 to 5 per cent of volatile oil, of which about 18 per cent is fenchone. They have a camphoraceous taste. French sweet or Roman Fennel yields only 2.1 per cent. of oil, containing much less anethol and with a milder and sweeter taste, probably due to the entire absence of the bitter fenchone.

French bitter Fennel oil differs considerably, anethol being only present in traces. The oil (Essence de Fenouil amer) is distilled from the entire herb, collected in the south of France, where the plant grows without cultivation. Indian Fennel yields only 0.72 per cent of oil, containing only 6.7 per cent of fenchone. Japanese Fennel yields 2.7 per cent of oil, containing 10.2 of fenchone and 75 per cent of anethol. Sicilian Fennel oil is yielded from F. piperitum. It was formerly the practice to boil Fennel with all fish, and it was mainly cultivated in kitchen gardens for this purpose. Its leaves are served nowadays with salmon, to correct its oily indigestibility, and are also put into sauce, in the same way as parsley, to be eaten with boiled mackerel. The seeds are also used for flavouring and the carminative oil that is distilled from them, which has a sweetish aromatic odour and flavour, is employed in the making of cordials and liqueurs, and is also used in perfumery and for scenting soaps.

A pound of oil is the usual yield of 500 lb. of the seed. [ Top ] ---Medicinal Action and Uses--- On account of its aromatic and carminative properties, Fennel fruit is chiefly used medicinally with purgatives to allay their tendency to griping and for this purpose forms one of the ingredients of the well-known compound Liquorice Powder. Fennel water has properties similar to those of anise and dill water: mixed with sodium bicarbonate and syrup, these waters constitute the domestic 'Gripe Water,' used to correct the flatulence of infants. Volatile oil of Fennel has these properties in concentration. Fennel tea, formerly also employed as a carminative, is made by pouring half a pint of boiling water on a teaspoonful of bruised Fennel seeds. Syrup prepared from Fennel juice was formerly given for chronic coughs. Fennel is also largely used for cattle condiments. It is one of the plants which is said to be disliked by fleas, and powdered Fennel has the effect of driving away fleas from kennels and stables. The plant gives off ozone most readily.

Culpepper says: 'One good old custom is not yet left off, viz., to boil fennel with fish, for it consumes the phlegmatic humour which fish most plentifully afford and annoy the body with, though few that use it know wherefore they do it. It benefits this way, because it is a herb of Mercury, and under Virgo, and therefore bears antipathy to Pisces. Fennel expels wind, provokes urine, and eases the pains of the stone, and helps to break it. The leaves or seed boiled in barley water and drunk, are good for nurses, to increase their milk and make it more wholesome for the child. The leaves, or rather the seeds, boiled in water, stayeth the hiccup and taketh away nausea or inclination to sickness. The seed and the roots much more help to open obstructions of the liver, spleen, and gall, and thereby relieve the painful and windy swellings of the spleen, and the yellow jaundice, as also the gout and cramp. The seed is of good use in medicines for shortness of breath and wheezing, by stoppings of the lungs.

The roots are of most use in physic, drinks and broths, that are taken to cleanse the blood, to open obstructions of the liver, to provoke urine, and amend the ill colour of the face after sickness, and to cause a good habit through the body; both leaves, seeds, and roots thereof, are much used in drink, or broth, to make people more lean that are too fat. A decoction of the leaves and root is good for serpent bites, and to neutralize vegetable poison, as mushrooms, etc.' 'In warm climates,' says Mattiolus, 'the stems are cut and there exudes a resinous liquid, which is collected under the name of Fennel Gum.' In Italy and France, the tender leaves areoften used for garnishes and to add flavour to salads, and are also added, finely chopped, to sauces served with puddings. Roman bakers are said to put the herb under their loaves in the oven to make the bread taste agreeably. The tender stems are employed in soups in Italy, though are more frequently eaten raw as a salad.

John Evelyn, in his Acetaria (1680), held that the peeled stalks, soft and white, of the cultivated garden Fennel, when dressed like celery exercised a pleasant action conducive to sleep. The Italians eat these peeled stems, which they call 'Cartucci' as a salad, cutting them when the plant is about to bloom and serving with a dressing of vinegar and pepper. Formerly poor people used to eat Fennel to satisfy the cravings of hunger on fast days and make unsavoury food palatable; it was also used in large quantities in the households of the rich, as may be seen by the record in the accounts of Edward I.'s household, 8 1/2 lb. of Fennel were bought for one month's supply. ---Preparations--- Fluid extract, 5 to 30 drops. Oil, 1 to 5 drops. Water, B.P. and U.S.P., 4 drachms. How to Grow Fennel | Guide to Growing Fennel How to Grow Fennel | Guide to Growing Fennel Varieties: Bronze Fennel is native to the Mediterranean region, but is now cultivated worldwide.

It is an aromatic perennial that grows to about five feet in height, having dark green, feathery leaves, umbels of yellow flowers, and small, ridged, oval-shaped seeds, which are gathered in the autumn. The tall stalk looks like celery and is often consumed as vegetables, while the leaves and seeds are used to flavour foods. Although the taste and aroma of fennel are sometimes mistaken for anise or licorice, the plant is actually related to caraway. Fennel is one of the oldest cultivated plants and much valued by the Romans. Warriors took it to keep good health, while their ladies took it to stave off obesity. The Romans also believed that serpents sucked the juice of the plant to improve their eyesight prompting Pliny to recommend the herb for”dimness of human vision” It was one of the nine sacred herbs of the Anglo-Saxons. In 812 CE, Charlemagne declared it was essential in every garden because of its healing properties. Its Greek name is marathon, meaning “to grow thin.” It was given to the plant because of its reputation for weight loss. In medieval times, the seeds were chewed to stop gastric rumblings during church services.

Inhaling herbs was often a means of treating respiratory disorders. The Lacnunga, a 10th century Anglo-Saxon medical text, recommends "Take fennel and hassuck (dried grass or rushes) and cotton and burn all together on the side which the wind is" and, it recommends, that the practitioner "reek" patients with steam. This is similar to the Native American use of the sweat lodge or the modern sauna, where herbs are placed on the hot rocks to be added to the steaming process. Harvesting Guide HARVESTING If growing for seed, fennel will mature about late August. Watch the seeds closely to ensure they turn brown but don't start popping off the umbrel. A good method to use when harvesting is to wrap cheesecloth around the umbrel and then cut the stalk. SAVING SEEDS Hang to dry, and when thoroughly dry, thresh out the seeds by slapping the stalk on a hard surface. Be absolutely sure that the seeds are completely dry before storing in an airtight container.

You can find this variety in the following Seed Packs: Click the packs below to see some of our other wonderful products Foeniculum vulgare Bronze Fennel FAQs Spanish explorers of the 1600's knew they would need to bring herb seeds with them to plant in the new world if they wanted to feel truly at home. This is how Sweet Fennel became distributed along El Camino Real or The Kings Highway which connects the 21 missions that span from San Diego to San Francisco, California. Today, tall wispy spires of green Sweet Fennel can still be seen along Interstate 101 which traces that legendary route. In fact, the plant has became so abundant that today many consider it a native Californian plant; some consider it a weed. With the same sweet licorice flavor as Sweet Fennel, Bronze Fennel (pictured at top) can be used in place of Green Fennel in any recipe, and the soft wispy leaves with their unique bronze color add a lot of visual interest in the flower or herb garden. With a height of four feet and a breadth almost as great, its wide spreading grace also makes it the perfect back of the border plant for cottage gardens .

By the end of the summer it will put up tall spikes that will be endowed with little yellow button flowers. If left on the plant, these will turn brown and make fennel seeds. If these spikes are cut back to the ground the plant will stay looking better longer. The leaves are great with fish and can be used to stuff the cavity of a whole fish or to wrap fillets. Jim Long, herbal chef and cookbook author, makes this tasty fennel stuffing for trout. Start by cutting up 1 cup of fennel leaves. Saute some celery and onion in butter or olive oil until tender, then mix in 2 cups of bread crumbs, 1 cup of chicken broth and the fennel and stuff it into the trout. Then lay slices of lemons over the trout and broil for about 20 minutes. He also makes a tasty quick salad dressing by adding a couple fennel leave into a blender with some oil, vinegar, parsley, and garlic chives. Please visit this page for more information on Jim's herbal cookbooks.

Elizabeth Lambert Ortiz in her book The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices and Flavorings not only stuffs and bakes her fish with Fennel leaves but also flambe's the fish with an anise flavored liqueur. Also, try combining the leaves of Bronze Fennel with French Tarragon for an extra kick. French Tarragon has a spicy bite that the Fennel does not, and yet both have the anise or licorice flavor. Very tasty Fennel tea can be made from the leaves of both fennels and the seeds of Bronze Fennel. Bronze Fennel is one of the six plants chosen to be in our Zone 5 Tea Herb Garden . Milk steeped with Bronze Fennel can be used to make ice cream or added into baked goods. If you want to collect the seeds (a prize ingredient in Italian sausage), just leave that flowering stalk. You can still harvest the outer leaves, just don't cut the center stalk, which will bear the flowers. Watch as the seeds start to turn from green to brown, and then cut the whole head and allow it to finish the ripening process in a brown paper bag.

When the seeds are ripe, they will easily shake loose from the main head. Store in a dry airtight jar out of light. Bronze Fennel is hardy from Zone 5 and is easily grown as an annual in lower zones. Plant as soon as the danger of frost has passed. Full sun and well drained soil are better for producing rich oils and seeds. Cut back to the ground at the end of the season after seeds have formed. Fennel has a long tap root which should not be disturbed after planting. A very important host plant for the Anise Swallowtail and the Eastern Black Swallowtail (pictured at left), Bronze Fennel makes a great addition to our Wildlife Herb Garden Six Pack and is sometimes included in our Butterfly Attractor 36 Pack Assortment . A host plant is one that the butterfly lays eggs on and the baby caterpillars (the larvae) munch on until they get ready to pupate (or spin a cocoon to become a butterfly in). Butterflies also need nectar plants (like Butterfly bushes ) that they derive food and water from. FLORENCE FENNEL Sometimes the herb Fennel is confused with the vegetable Fennel (pictured below).

The vegetable Fennel is sometimes called Finocchio or Florence Fennel. Unfortunately, it has the same genus and specie name as the herb Fennel with only a varietal name to separate it botanically (Foeniculm vulgare azoricum). There are two main differences. The herb Fennel is a perennial while the veggie Fennel is an annual. The herb makes no root to eat and the veggie fennel is most famous for its bulbous root. Or, put another way, the herb Fennel doesn't make an edible root and the vegetable Fennel doesn't make seeds, well at least not the kind of seeds the herb Fennel does, which are the ones we want to use! Whew... Florence Fennel starts should be planted as soon as the last frost date has passed. Their roots are fragile so be gentle when transplanting. But, make sure to firm plants in well so that they make good contact with the earth. Plant in full sun in well drained soil and fertilize with an organic fertilizer throughout the summer.

Bulbs can be harvested as soon as they are the size you want by cutting the base of the plant at ground level. Occasionally roots will produce smaller size side heads after the main bulb is cut away. Fennel can take a light frost but should be harvested before it gets too cold. If you happen to leave the plants in too long and they start flowering that means they are past their prime for your use, but leave them and the beneficial insects will thank you. To use the Fennel bulb, slice the white part down the middle and remove the core and any really tough outer leaves. Wash carefully because sometimes dirt sifts down between the layers. The Fennel leaves, though not as powerful tasting as the herb Fennel, make a welcome addition to vegetable or chicken stock. The delicate flavor of the Fennel bulb works well with all kinds of veggies. Try it in a potato gratin or in the soup recipe below.

Question: What colour of flowers does the 'Fennel' plant have?
Answer: YELLOW